A Dangerous Moon [Tales of the Werewolf Clan] Read online

  Speechless, Allison merely nodded.

  "Well, that is, if she doesn't mind." Rick glanced back and forth between the two men, and then turned his gaze to her. His face softened, yet anxiety shone in his eyes.

  Her stomach gave a nervous flip at the thought of Rick McShaw staying under the same roof as her. When they were a couple, they'd talked about moving in together, but it had never happened.

  "Well, what do you think, Allison?" Rick asked in a low, husky voice. "I promise I won't get in your way. Besides, it's not permanent. I'm just staying for a short visit, only about two weeks, and then I plan to leave town for another job. What do you say?" He gave her an imploring gaze.

  "Well…" She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, deep in thought for a moment. "The room is partly furnished. Leslie left a bed and a dresser. It's sort of Spartan, but I've made sure it's all clean and ready to rent. Okay, I don't see why not."

  The intense pressure inside the room instantly dissipated.

  Allison glanced over at Rick, holding the clipboard tight to her chest. "Well, we're all done here. So, when can I expect you at my place?"

  "Ray's going to take me to pick up my truck at The Red Lion, then I'm heading over to my sister's for breakfast, but I can come over to your place after twelve. Is that okay with you?"

  "Sure," Allison nodded, then turned on her heel and headed for the door.

  However, after she left the room, she stopped in the hallway and drew a deep breath to clear her head, stunned by what she had agreed to.

  "Oh goodness, just what in the world have I gotten myself into?"

  Chapter Three

  By the time Rick had picked up his truck and was heading to his sister's house, the sun was over the horizon, promising another hot day. He was grateful Megan let him grab a hot shower and a couple of hours of sleep before diving into a delicious home-cooked breakfast. They sat at the kitchen table together while he ate.

  "I can't believe you've got so big," Rick commented, taking another bite of his scrambled eggs with cheese. "It seems like only yesterday, you and Derek were getting married."

  "I know," Megan smiled, running her hand over her extended belly with motherly pride. "Morning sickness was a real bitch, but now, I'm just getting huge! Honestly, I wouldn't trade this experience for the world! I only wish…" her voice trailed off. A bittersweet expression crossed her face.

  "Hey, Mom and Dad would be so excited." Rick put down his fork and reached over and took her hand. "I'm sure they're smiling down on you every day."

  "Yeah, you're right." Megan glanced over at him and nodded. "You know, I do sense things like that around here." They both looked around the sunlit kitchen. Even though she and Derek had remodeled a good bit of the house, there were things inside which still reminded Rick of their childhood and growing up in the family home.

  "The place looks good, sis." He smiled, returning to his breakfast. "I'll bet this house needed some repairs. We put a lot of wear and tear on it over the years."

  "It's a good one, alright." Megan agreed. "There are new homes being built on the other side of town now, but nothing quite as solid as this one, that's for sure."

  "Ray told me about all the renovation and construction going on and how it's keeping him busy. Heather Grove is growing up, I guess."

  "Yes, it's growing," Megan nodded, and then took a sip of her coffee. "So, what's this I hear about you staying over at Allison Browne's place?"

  Rick nearly choked on his toast. "How did you—?"

  Megan reached into her jeans pocket, pulled out her cell phone and held it up. "Ray called me just before you pulled in the driveway," she explained with a grin. "I don't always use my psychic abilities, bro." She rolled her eyes and laughed.

  He gave a deep sigh and pushed aside his empty plate. "Yeah, Ray's the one who asked her, not me. It seems the Starlight was booked. He and Bruce came up with the wild idea."

  "So? I've always thought Allison's a nice gal and, if she's got a spare room, why not?" Megan shrugged.

  "Why not?" Rick repeated, arching an eyebrow. "Sis, since Allie and I broke up, I prefer to keep to myself. Over the years, I've gotten some control over my empathic abilities, but I still pick up on others' emotions – especially hers."

  "Oh, go on, give it a try." She reached out and patted his hand. "And if worse comes to worse, you can always stay with us. But, it's been a couple of years. I'm sure you and Allison have some catching up to do. Don't you?"

  There was a twinkle in her eye, but, before Rick could reply, Megan's cell phone chirruped. She quickly flipped it open and placed it to her ear. "Hey, Rhonda, could you hold on a moment?" She glanced over at Rick. "I'll be right back, okay?" she pointed to the phone.

  "Sure. Go on," he nodded as his sister walked out of the room to chat with Rhonda Morrison, a long-time family friend.

  Rick rose from the table to put his empty plate into the dishwasher, then washed his hands.

  His sister was right. It had been two years since he and Allison were together. He'd left to go out of town right after their break-up and they'd gone their separate ways. Deep down, he was very proud of her. She was following her dreams. And, now, the whole community relied on her – both as a doctor and healer.

  He'd done his best not to get in her way. Not because he didn't care, but because he did. Yet, the mixed emotions emanating from her today had overwhelmed his empathic senses. Rick didn't know quite what to make of it all.

  "You're thinking about Allison, aren't you?" Megan stood in the doorway with her arms folded over her chest. She flashed him a soft smile. "You know we'd all love for you to come home and stay. Ray said the other day he wished he could find a partner to help with the construction work, Rick. I think…"

  "Oh, no!" He shook his head, giving a low chuckle. "Can you imagine the two of us working together? That's not a good idea. Not at all."

  "Well, I'm just saying…why don't you think about it, okay?" Megan shrugged, and then nodded to his empty coffee cup which was still on the table. "Would you like some more coffee?"

  "Uh, no, thanks. I need to get going. Allie will be expecting me around noon at her place to show me the room."

  "Okay, but promise you'll come by while you're in town." Megan stepped close and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

  "I will," he nodded, then tossed his arms around her and gave his sister a hearty hug. "Thanks for the shower, breakfast…well, everything."

  "It's good to have you home, bro," Megan said in a soft, sincere tone.

  "Yeah, it's good to be back," Rick replied. For a while anyway…

  * * *

  "Are you sure you don't mind if I borrow your blouse?" Jeni asked as she took the turquoise and green flowery garment out of Allison's closet. Her co-worker had dropped by her house after her shift to pick the blouse, while Allison was focused on a quick straightening spree to get ready for Rick's arrival.

  "No, not at all." She entered the bedroom with a load of books in her arms. "I only wore it once. Just send it to the dry cleaners when you're done, okay?"

  "Oh, I will," Jeni promised with a big grin on her face as Allison dumped the books beside her bed. "Why did you bring those books in here?"

  "I'm de-cluttering the living room. I don't think my new roommate would approve of my smutty romance book collection stacked up beside the sofa, do you?"

  "Hey, who knows? It might give him a few ideas." Jeni waggled her eyebrows. "Know what I mean?"

  "It's not like that," Allison dropped to her knees and hastily began to place the books in the cabinet under her night stand. "Besides, Rick will only being staying for a couple of weeks, then he'll be leaving town again."

  "Don't be silly. I saw the way he was looking at you when he left the hospital." Jeni smirked. "I think he's still hot for you."

  "What makes you say that?"

  "Come on, Allie, you're pretty!" Jeni replied. "Not to mention smart, too."

  "Well, if I've got beauty and brains, tell me why
haven't I had a date in months?" she countered and rose to her feet.

  "Do you want me to be honest?" Jeni placed her hand on her hip, cocking her head.

  Allison blinked. It was a loaded question – one which she thought she already knew the answer to, but she decided to see if her co-worker was thinking the same thing.

  "Okay," she gave a firm nod, folding her arms over her chest. "Tell me."

  "Well, for starters, you volunteer to work longer shifts than most of the staff, and when you're not working, you're either working in your garden or staying at home instead of going out."

  "Now, Jeni—"

  "Wait, I'm not finished." She held up a hand. "And you wind up reading those books, which you stuffed into that cabinet, about hunky pirates and vampires instead of going out, meeting a real man and having hot, mindblowing sex."

  "Jeni, please!" Allison rolled her eyes. "I'm not like that, at all. Besides, most of the guys around here are…are…well, not my type."

  Jeni raised an eyebrow. "Allie, you don't get out enough. Ever since you and Rick split up, you've only gone out a handful of times. You know what I mean?"

  "Okay, maybe you're right." She nodded. "Right now, I need to finish straightening before Rick arrives." Allison glanced at the clock beside the bed. "Oh geez, it's almost noon and I still need to clean up the kitchen!"

  "Don't worry. I'll show myself out. Thanks again for the loan of the blouse." Jeni smiled. "I'm planning to wear it Saturday night. Hey, maybe if you're free…?" She winked.

  "Yeah, I'll think about it and let you know." Allison smiled. "Hey, you might have better luck in that blouse than I did."

  "Maybe I will," Jeni giggled, giving her a quick hug before heading out the door. "Maybe I will."

  * * *

  Rick was glad to see some things hadn't changed as he drove his truck down Main Street. Jewel's Family Diner, a local 24/7 favorite, was packed with hungry lunchtime customers, while the shops and stores seemed to be doing brisk business too.

  As he stopped for a red light, a compact Nissan Sentra pulled up beside him and honked. "Hey, man! How's it going?" A familiar male voice called out over the heavy metal music thumping inside his car.

  "Ernie! Hey, dude, pull over!" Rick grinned and nodded to a semi-vacant parking lot, indicating for the younger sithech male to pull off the road. Both men turned into the lot, cut their engines and jumped out of their vehicles. They greeted each other with a short, firm hug, and then stood back, smiling at each other.

  "Hey, man, I'm really sorry my uncle didn't have a room at the Starlight for you to stay in this time around," Ernie apologized.

  "I know, I should have made a reservation, but didn't. My bad." Rick shrugged. "But how was I to know how popular this little town's become while I was away. Hard to believe, right?"

  "Honestly, I'm glad it's come into the twenty-first century. I don't know if they've told you yet, but I'm running a little computer business now, and it's kept me quite busy."

  Rick smiled, eyeing Ernie from head to toe. "You must be working out too. You're filling out and looking pretty buff for a computer geek."

  "Thanks," Ernie flashed a sly grin. "Bruce took me under his wing a few months ago and has been training me. But, shit, man. He's been working my ass hard at the gym."

  "Well, it shows," Rick gave the younger man's shoulder a playful thwack. "And I'll bet the gals are hanging around you now, for sure."

  "Yeah, something like that," Ernie replied, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight, then he changed the subject. "Bruce told me you're staying over at Doctor Browne's house while you're in town. It seems like she's already done her magick on you."

  "What do mean?" Rick raised an eyebrow, perplexed.

  "You know, she's a sithech healer like the rest of her family. And, judging from the look of your face, she's a damn good one. If I didn't know about what happened at The Red Lion, I couldn't tell you got knocked square in the jaw the other night. Of course, you've still got a little bruising, but no swelling. Are you sore?"

  "A little bit, but nothing a few beers couldn't cure," he winked.

  "I know what you mean, man," Ernie chuckled. "I also heard your jaw was Teresa Owens' handiwork. That gal's something else…especially when the moon's almost full."

  "Yeah, well, I sure hope we don't cross paths any time soon," Rick said in a solemn tone, then glanced back at the street, watching the traffic roll by for a moment. "Say, Ern, do you know if Allie's been seeing anyone?'

  "Allison?" Ernie raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you regretting breaking up with her?"

  "Hey, this is between me and you, okay? I'm just curious. Besides, since I've been out of her life the past few years, I think I ought to know. I don't want to piss anyone else off while I'm here."

  "I don't see her around town enough to really know," Ernie shrugged. "She pretty much keeps to herself. Honestly, man, I really don't know."

  Before Rick could reply, a young Asian-looking woman passed by in a silver Prius. She tooted the horn and waved as she zipped past. Ernie grinned and waved back, then turned his attention back to Rick.

  "Now, that was Doctor Browne's co-worker, Jeni." Ernie thumbed in the direction of the car. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her better. But, after fixing a few of the urgent care unit's computers, she just thinks I'm just a local-yokel computer geek." The young man gave a heavy sigh.

  A wave of empathy rolled through Rick's gut. "Maybe, one day, she'll see you in a different way, Ern." He gave his friend a consoling pat on the shoulder. "I mean, one day she'll notice that you're more than just a computer geek. And, even though she's human, she might even be drawn to your sithech nature too. Sort of like Ray's fiancée, Jac."

  "Yeah, maybe you're right." Ernie broke into a grin. "Thanks."

  "For what?"

  "The pep talk," Ernie replied. "You're one of the few pack males I can actually talk to, Rick. And, while you're in town, I want to treat you to a beer. Maybe we can get together at The Red Lion after you get settled in."

  Rick returned his smile and nodded. "That sounds like a plan. Call me. Okay?"

  "Sure thing, man. Well, Mr. White's spilled coffee on his laptop this morning again." The younger man sighed. "I'd better take off, but let's catch up soon."

  After saying their goodbyes, Rick stood in the parking lot and watched Ernie pull out and zip down the street. As he stepped up into the cab of his truck, the town hall clock struck twelve.

  "Shit," he muttered to himself. "I'd better get a move on, too!" The old truck rumbled to life beneath him and, without wasting any more time, he pulled out and headed for Allison's house.

  Fairly soon, he turned onto Periwinkle Drive. It was a lovely, quiet street with rows of nice homes and neat lawns. He'd heard from his sister that she had purchased a house. Rick kept his eyes peeled and, before long, he found the address. Allison lived at the end of the street in a two-story brick home with a lush little garden on the side. He turned into the driveway, pulled in behind a green Honda Civic and stopped the truck.

  He sat in the cab a moment. Even though Ray had set up this arrangement against his wishes, Rick was glad Allison had been so generous by letting him stay in her home, considering their previous relationship.

  She'd always been this way, he recalled. One of the nicest gals he'd ever known. That's one of the reasons he'd been attracted to her. He smiled, remembering how she'd blossomed into a very attractive and compassionate woman.

  He climbed out of his truck, grabbed his traveling bag out of the back, and headed for the front door. After he rang the bell, he stepped back and waited. The door swung open.

  "Hey! You're right on time," she greeted him with a warm smile.

  "Uh, yeah, I made it."

  Allison was casually dressed, yet looked absolutely stunning in a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a lavender t-shirt which clung to her luscious curves. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled up in a makeshift bun on top of her head while little wisps of stray curls draped
down her swanlike neck.

  Rick did his best not to stare, but she was even lovelier than he remembered.

  There was a sparkle of amusement in her eyes as she glanced down at the traveling bag in his hand. "Boy, you do travel light, don't you? Well, come on in." Allison stepped aside and Rick crossed the threshold into a cool, air-conditioned living room.

  "Wow, you've got a nice place here," he said, taking in every inch of the sunlit room. A large, comfortable sofa dominated one wall, with a generous flat screen plasma television centered across from it on the opposite side. Her diplomas and a few family photos decorated the room, as well as a few bookcases stacked with medical guides and gardening manuals, and a very large fish tank.

  Overall, the room radiated with a warm, welcoming energy.

  "Thanks! The place still needs a little work here and there, but I got a fair deal on it a couple of years ago," she replied, beaming with pride.

  "So, are these your pets?" Rick asked, walking over to the fish tank and watching the two goldfish swimming around in its watery depths.

  "Yeah, with my schedule, I prefer the low-maintenance kind." Allison shrugged. "Buffy and Angel are all I can handle."

  "Buffy and Angel, huh? I guess you're still a Joss Whedon fan, too." He turned and smiled over at her.

  "I sure am! He's my favorite writer and director!" she grinned, raising a hand. "I'm still a big geek. How about you?"

  "I am too." He winked. "I still watch my DVDs of Firefly and Dollhouse. Too bad both of the shows were cancelled."

  "Oh, you poor thing," Allison smirked. She placed a hand over her chest. "I feel your pain."

  "Say what?" He blinked. The smile slid from his face.

  "Not literally, of course." Allison explained with a chuckle. "I only mean that I understand how you feel about the cancellation of such awesome shows."

  "Oh, okay." Rick nodded.

  "What did you think I meant?" She raised an eyebrow.

  "It's nothing, really." He shrugged, then cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So, where's my room? If you don't mind, I'd like to get settled in."

  "Sure. Follow me." Allison turned on her heel and proceeded to give him a brief tour of the kitchen before heading down a narrow hallway, which led to a bedroom and adjoining bathroom.